


On The Doorstep

by SwanFloatieKnight



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Cold, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Getting Together, Huddling For Warmth, Late Night Conversations, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Quest of Erebor, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:36:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29969937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwanFloatieKnight/pseuds/SwanFloatieKnight
Summary: Thorin really should have noticed sooner that Bilbo was cold during the nights. Good that now he has a dwarf to cuddle with.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Comments: 16
Kudos: 69





	On The Doorstep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ooowyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ooowyn/gifts).



> Once again, this fic was inspired by ooowyn's wonderful art that you can find [here](https://ooowyn.tumblr.com/post/644803161857622016/one-of-my-fav-tropes-in-fics-is-while-on-the). She was also so kind to let me write a fic based on it, thank you very much!! <3
> 
> this fic was more based on the book for once bc somehow the whole hanging around on the mountain before actually entering it as it happens in the book was more fitting for my fic idea XD

A/N: I posted this fic on Ao3, and on Ao3 alone. If you read this on any other website or platform, please consider that I did not consent to this.

* * *

Thorin should have known that Bilbo would be more prone to the cold than the sturdy dwarves. And cold they were, the nights in Rhovanion. Autumn was quickly fading into winter, with Durin’s Day nearly upon them. The dwarves and Bilbo were waiting on the doorstep, waiting for the last moon of autumn while the days were growing shorter and the nights longer and darker.

And with the dark, there came the cold. There wasn’t much wood to be found. 150 years were enough for a forest to grow back a little, but not if a dragon kept ravaging the slopes of the Lonely Mountain. So they only lit fires at night, and these fires were small and did not give off much warmth to all of the company. Especially not to little Bilbo who still, after all these weeks, stayed a little apart from the group and did not seem to fit in as well and as completely as the others.

In retrospective Thorin should have noticed it sooner, he really should have. After all, they kept a watch, and Thorin, too, sat awake for a few hours every night. Not to speak of his crush on Bilbo that he was too shy yet to admit to the hobbit but that had him looking after Bilbo more than he probably should. He should have noticed. And he felt guilty for not seeing it.

He must have been too caught up in his own thoughts, waking dreams of a prospering kingdom under the mountain that might never come true. Dreams of wealth and glory, of the halls of Erebor filled once more with song and joy and the warm, golden light of crystal lamps. Dreams of finally coming home with Bilbo by his side, now and forever.

But all these dreams, as lovely and comforting as they might be in the long, dark hours of the night, were in vain as long as they had yet to find the secret door into the mountain and did not yet know if the dragon Smaug was still down there, still alive. Their plan went as far as finding the hidden door and opening it. After that, well… they would see how things went after that. If they could defeat Smaug. If they could reclaim Erebor. Or if they would all die trying.

These thoughts, on some nights more gloomy, on others more optimistic, were what kept Thorin from noticing what was going on, and he chided himself for being such a bad watchman when, after four days, he finally saw Bilbo curled up tightly under his blanket and shivering like a leaf. He kept his eyes on him for the rest of the watch, looking out for him, just like he should have done the nights before, and wondered how he could have paid so little attention to Bilbo when the hobbit meant so much to him. So far, he had been too shy to tell him, but he felt strongly for him, and yet he could not care for him enough. Thorin shook his head.

When it was finally Dwalin’s time to take up his place next to the fire Thorin immediately went over to Bilbo and patted his shoulder to raise his attention. Crush or no, he would not let the hobbit die because he was too proud to save him.

“Move over, Master Burglar…”

“Huh? What?” Bilbo blinked up at him, his eyes tired and red-rimmed, lips blue enough that not even the red flicker of the fire could bring any colour to them. “Thorin?”

Thorin had moved his bedroll over to where Bilbo laid and now sat down next to him. “You should have said something, really.”

“Me? Why?” Bilbo’s mind was sleep-addled and slow, but Thorin seemed so concerned? He rubbed his eyes. Was he dreaming?

“Well, we hired you for a reason, and you won’t be of any use to us if you freeze to death here on the doorstep.”

“What?”

“You’re shivering. And I instantly hope that the chattering of your teeth hasn’t awoken the dragon yet. Now come here.” Thorin patted the ground next to himself and gave Bilbo a stern look. “Or do you want me to crawl over to you?”

“Oh, uhm…” Thorin wasn’t entirely sure if it was only the fire light or if there really was a faint blush creeping into Bilbo’s pale cheeks. Then, the hobbit gathered together his bedding and laid down directly next to Thorin. He gave him another look, then he curled up on his own bedroll under the blanket and snuggled up to Thorin’s side. “Thank you,” he breathed quietly.

“No need to thank me for this,” Thorin smiled down at the hobbit, before he spread his cloak over both of them for additional warmth. “It’s a king’s duty to look after his people.”

Bilbo opened one eye. “But I’m not your people, Thorin. I’m a hobbit, not a dwarf.”

Thorin now carefully draped an arm around Bilbo’s waist. “May I?” Only when the hobbit nodded he closed his eyes and continued: “Well, you’re part of the company. You’re part of my people as well.”

“If you say so?”

“I do.” Thorin was quiet for a moment, thinking. “I’m just going to make you a honorary dwarf once we have reclaimed Erebor.”

“If you have reclaimed Erebor.”

“Well… now that I’m making sure you’re not freezing out here, I’m quite optimistic. You’re important for the success of this quest, Bilbo. And also you’re very important to me.”

He wished he had bitten off his tongue the very moment the words left his lips, but Bilbo turned around under his arm and Thorin opened his eyes again, trying not to look too panicked. He stared into Bilbo’s wide blue eyes.

“You… I am? Really?”

“Very much so.” Thorin hoped he wasn’t blushing too hard, that he hadn’t given away too much and that none of the other dwarves was awake or at least that none of them was listening to their whispered conversation. But he meant what he said.

Bilbo sighed softly. “I… I have to admit, it surprises me. But it also gladdens me to hear it. That I do matter to you. After all, I do love you…”

Now Bilbo looked like he had accidentally revealed too much. Thorin felt his heart speed up, but his face was blank when he gasped: “You… you love me?”

Now it was apparent that Bilbo was really blushing as his cheeks grew even redder. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything… but I wanted you to know. I don’t…” He took a deep breath. “I don’t want to die without letting you know about it. I wouldn’t forgive myself otherwise.”

“That… I…” Thorin was struggling for words, the sudden panic to mess this up paralysing him. “Me too,” he finally blurted out, and if his cheeks were as hot as they felt now he was blushing even harder than Bilbo.

“Well, I’m even gladder I told you, then.” Bilbo was smiling now until he couldn’t stifle a yawn any longer.

Thorin couldn’t help but smile at the sheer adorableness. He leaned towards him and pressed their foreheads together. “And I’m glad you told me, too,” he whispered. “But go to sleep now. We are both tired, and there will be enough time to talk more in the morning.”

Bilbo nodded. Once again, he curled up against Thorin’s side, only this time he was half draped across his chest. With a smile Thorin wrapped his arm around him again and with his other hand rearranged the cloak and blankets so that Bilbo wouldn’t get cold during the night. And with the warm weight of a sleeping hobbit on his chest Thorin fell fast asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this, please leave me a comment and Kudos! :D


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